Sit-at-home: Schools, Markets, Parks Remain Closed in Awka, Despite Soludo's Order

By Izunna Okafor, Awka

Awka the capital city of Anambra state, on Monday, recorded a partial compliance to the well-emphasized order given to the citizens by the new governor of Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, to refrain from observing and respecting the monday sit-at-home order by the Indigenous People of Biafra.

Recall that, Prof. Soludo, on Friday, through a circular from the office of the state's Head of Service, Theodora Igwegbe, warned that any civil servant who bsconds from work henceforth in observance of the sit-at-home would be sanctioned. The Governor also recently had meetings with market leaders, with the aim of ending the every-monday closure of some major markets and motor parks in the state due to the sit-at-home.

Four days after the governor's order, this reporter went round some parks, markets and schools in the Awka city, where it was observed that there was vomp a very low turnout of people.

At various schools visited, including Kingdom Heritage School, Awka, Igwebuike Grammar School, Awka; St. Mary's College, Awka; Cee-Cee Nursery and Primary School, Awka; Community Secondary School, Okpuno; National Secondary School; St. John of God Secondary School, Awka; it was observed that the schools gates were locked and chained up, while some students and pupils who came to school were sent back home by gatemen of the various schools.

When interviewed, some of the students sent, Miss Chinyere Olisakwe and Nonso Igwe said they were usually going schools on Mondays, but wondered why today's own was different.

At Igwebuike Grammar School, it was observed that the teachers were in school, but students were no where to be found.

Among all the schools visited, it was only St. Patrick's College and St. Patrick's Nursery and Primary School, Awka that were, with students and pupils comfortably taking their lectures.

When visited, the ever-busy Eke Awka Market was unusually scanty, with many shops locked up, while very few traders were sighted hanging around.

Speaking with newsmen, some of the traders seen at the market, Mr.  Paschal Okeke and Ifeanyi Okpara said that, although the leadership of the market did not force them not to open their shops, but revealed that they closed them first because of the fear, and secondly to let the government know that they are not happy with the continued detention of the IPOB Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

They, however, confessed that the sit-at-home has really affected their businesses, and called on Federal Government to immediately release Nnamdi, so as to bring an instant end to the sit-at-home.

Parks were not left out, as some major parks in the city did not work, including the parks of Peace Mass Transit (Awka terminal), Ekwulobia Urban Mass, Rivers Joy, TRACAS, and others.

All efforts to get the opinion of the state's Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ikenga Tochukwu, were not successful, as he did not respond to his calls or reply message sent to him.